Not my finest work

The first day of March 2009. It's time to start being more creative again. I am undertaking my own project 365 - every day for a year I will draw ... something ... and I'll try not to give myself a hard time about not being good enough and not having anything worthwhile to say.

Staring at the blank canvas is the hardest part, and not wanting to mess it up and waste the paper. I've always had a problem with the waste and that stops me doing anything. Once I start and make the first mark I usually really enjoy it but how do I start? What do I start with? Should I use pencil? Inks? Gouache? Pen? And the biggest question ... what am I going to draw? I know the more you do, the more ideas develop and evolve and the better your art practice will become so I have to switch off that part of my brain that says "this is a waste of time - I have nothing to say" and just see what happens. I actually feel a bit nervous. This is when I usually revert to the computer and start messing around with photographs which feels somehow safer and still feels a bit creative.

But for this project the rules are ... no computer. One drawing a day. Any medium but it has to be done by hand, away from the machine! So, here goes - drawing number 1.